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Express Tribune
a day ago
- Business
- Express Tribune
'PTI's protest movement is ineffective' says Rana Sanaullah
Listen to article Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Public and Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah has said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's protest call won't bear fruit as the party is not in a position to lead any such movement at the moment. Speaking to the media after offering Eid al-Adha prayers in Faislabad, the SAPM said Pakistan is now on the path to economic stability and development, but overcoming existing challenges requires national unity, political consensus, and alignment on an economic agenda, which he called the most urgent need of the time. He said Pakistan is transitioning from economic decline toward economic stability — a dream of the country's founding fathers. He added that thanks to national unity and courageous decisions by the political leadership, Pakistan is once again on a path of development. He revealed that India made an unjustified and arrogant attempt to attack Pakistan last month, but armed forces, with the backing of the people, delivered a strong response and shattered the enemy's arrogance. He said that the ongoing military operation, 'Bunyan-un-Marsoos', being carried out in the name of justice, has achieved historic success, and Pakistan has emerged before the world as a strong nuclear power. Read: FO slams Modi's 'unfounded' allegations on Pahalgam attack He extended congratulations to Field Marshal General Asim Munir and every soldier involved, saying they all deserve recognition for this success. Sanaullah said that under the leadership of PM Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan has stepped onto the path of economic growth. He once again called on PTI and all political parties to come together for the country's betterment and agree on the Charter of Economy, just as the entire nation had shown unity and consensus between May 6 and May 10. He stressed that politics can wait — what's most important is fixing the economy, especially since 240 million Pakistanis are struggling with inflation and economic pressures. He appealed to opposition leaders to accept the Prime Minister's invitation and agree on the formation of a neutral Election Commission so that the next general elections are free and fair, leaving no room for objection. The adviser said that Pakistan has earned respect and recognition at the global level — countries that once distanced themselves are now compelled to listen. He warned that if political leaders continue to prioritise personal or group interests, it will go against national interest. He urged the public to put pressure on political parties to put the nation first. Commenting on PTI's protest movement, Rana Sanaullah said the movement is ineffective because the party lacks both preparation and public support. He further criticised Imran Khan, saying that if the former Prime Minister ties his release to the country's economic progress, it would be an injustice to the nation. Speaking on India's intentions, he responded to a question saying that the Modi government is following the RSS's extremist agenda and is hostile toward both Pakistan and Muslims. Read more: Pakistan launches diplomatic offensive against India He assured that India would not dare attack again, although efforts to destabilise Pakistan through terrorism would likely continue. He added that while the military has fulfilled its duties, it is now the responsibility of the political leadership to unite for national development. He claimed that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is taking the upcoming local government elections seriously and will participate actively under the new Local Government Act. He confirmed that these elections will be held on a party basis. Sanaullah also said that the Punjab government is working on welfare schemes such as the Kisan Card, Mazdoor Card, and Mazoor Card to improve the quality of life for ordinary citizens. He concluded by noting that major national projects, including Pakistan's nuclear tests, were completed during PML-N's tenure, and that Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz is now stepping forward with a new vision of public service.
Business Recorder
17-05-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Tanveer urges business community to end internal conflicts
KARACHI: S.M. Tanveer, Patron-in-Chief of the ruling United Business Group (UBG), said that the time has come for Pakistan's business community to unite. "We must end internal conflicts and think beyond small differences. We have tried to put an end to disputes with the opposition. Our aim should be for the FPCCI to draft the federal budget and present it to the government. If we set the policies, then no institution would dare ask us for bribes," he said. "If we stand united, we will become a powerful force." He made these remarks while addressing a dinner hosted by leading investor Aqeel Karim Dhedhi. During the dinner, Aqeel Karim Dhedhi and other guests paid glowing tribute to the Pakistan Armed Forces and pledged full support. S.M. Tanveer praised the military for its success against India. "The enemy country India is vile—it has killed our children. We are proud of our armed forces, who launched operations after Fajr prayers and concluded them successfully by Asr. India's entire plan to eliminate Pakistan has fallen apart." He added, "We have launched an economic war, and its results must be seen within the next five years. While global interest rates are 4–5%, Pakistan's remain at 11%, which must be reduced immediately." Chairman BMG Zubair Motiwala remarked, "If India is wiped out, there will be no Hindu country left in the world, but God forbid, if Pakistan is eliminated, there will still be 54 Muslim nations. India wanted to turn Pakistan into Gaza, but by the grace of Allah, He helped us. It's fine to celebrate with joy, but let us thank Allah and offer prayers of gratitude." He thanked Pakistan's close ally China for its unwavering support. "Pakistan was not created to perish; it will remain strong and stable. In times of national crisis, unity is our greatest strength. Now is the time for unity, not division. Not just the business community, but all political leaders must also come together and sign a Charter of Economy. Our share in regional trade is only 4%, and we must increase it." KCCI President Jawed Bilwani said, "In the war with India, Allah granted our armed forces success. The business community should offer two raka'ahs of prayer in gratitude. Members should also ask their families to do the same. Unity between the public and political parties must continue. We must pray for the country's development, survival, and security. The same spirit of unity and patriotism shown during the Pakistan-India tension is needed to solve all national problems." Khalid Tawab said, "We are proud of the strength our military demonstrated in just one night. With Allah's help, they proved the saying: 'One strike of the blacksmith is worth a hundred of the goldsmith.' The war has united us slightly, but we need to become one nation." Ahmed Chinoy praised Aqeel Karim Dhedhi for honouring the top military leadership. He paid strong tribute to Chief of Army Staff General Syed Asim Munir, Chief of Air Staff Zaheer Ahmad Babar, and Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf for their wise leadership, patience, and strategic competence in difficult times. The event was also addressed by Businessmen Group Chairman Zubair Motiwala, KCCI President Jawed Bilwani, Khalid Tawab, and Ahmed Chinoy. Notable attendees included former State Bank Governor and Pakistan Stock Exchange Chairperson Dr. Shamshad Akhtar, Arif Habib (Chairman, Arif Habib Group), Saqib Fayaz Magon, Aman Paracha, Asif Sakhi, Tariq Haleem, Rafiq Suleman, Abdullah Zaki, Mian Zahid Hussain, Rasheed Jan Mohammad, Asif Inam, Iftikhar Ahmed Sheikh, Younus Soomro, Abdul Sami Khan, Hassan Bakhshi, Malik Khuda Bakhsh, Faisal Moiz Khan, Anjum Nisar, Zubair Chhaya, Faisal Khalil, Rehan Hanif, Haji Ghani Usman, Abdul Rasheed Godil, Sharjeel Goplani, Naheed Masood, Rizwan Shahid, Nadeem Mahboob Magon, Shahid Javed Qureshi, Shakeel Ahmed Dhingra, and many other prominent business personalities. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
18-03-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Charter of economy presented to overcome challenges
Listen to article The Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) on Tuesday shared a comprehensive charter of economy with Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb and his team. An FPCCI delegation, led by its President Atif Ikram Sheikh and comprising Patron-in-Chief SM Tanveer and FF Steel Chief Executive Senator Noman Wazir Khattak, met the finance minister, where they emphasised that the charter had been developed to foster political consensus and form an effective economic strategy that could transcend political divide and address economic challenges. Their goal is to free the country from economic malaise by prioritising its development and growth in order to meet the needs of the growing population, especially the youth, who formed the core of Pakistan's demographic structure. Senator Khattak gave a detailed presentation on the proposals and recommendations outlined in the charter of economy. The key recommendations included the reorganisation of specialised civil services with the establishment of dedicated groups in critical sectors such as energy, finance, industry and health care to lead policy formulation and ensure informed decision-making. The charter called for embracing solar and wind energy, seen as the cheapest sources of power, and keeping wheeling charges for the Competitive Trading Bilateral Contract Market (CTBCM) at a maximum of Rs4 per kilowatt-hour. It emphasised greater focus on regional trade and development finance institutions, with at least 20% of lending directed towards long-term capital expenditure (capex) and 10% towards startup capex. A stable exchange rate was recommended to support exports and discourage imports that did not comply with the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) regulations. The charter stressed the importance of a uniform gas pricing structure for all industries to promote their growth. Other proposals included transferring the ownership of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) to employees to allow them to manage those enterprises or privatising them, and converting their pension funds into equity. The presentation proposed strategic reforms on various fronts, including debt management, trade partnerships, tax compliance, energy efficiency and the exploitation of mineral resources. It underlined the need for adopting a progressive taxation model for agriculture, better governance structures, pension and welfare reforms, digitalisation and improvement to the bankruptcy law. Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, while praising the preparation of the Charter of Economy, noted that such initiatives were crucial at this point in time. He recalled his involvement in drawing up a similar charter by the Pakistan Business Council in 2020 and highlighted the importance of uniting all stakeholders on a common platform to address the challenges of declining living standards and achieve sustainable economic growth. He reiterated that quick fixes would not suffice and a steady, unified effort was required to drive Pakistan's economic recovery. Aurangzeb also highlighted the ongoing reforms that targeted macroeconomic stability, taxation, energy and rightsizing of the federal government. He assured the delegation of the commitment to resolving the pressing issues.
